The number of cars stolen, burnt and dumped has sky-rocketed in the last year, with firefighters and police called to three car fires on Wednesday night alone. 

Victoria Police spokeswoman Creina O’Grady confirmed it was not the responsibility of police to remove the vehicles. Owners or insurers have primary responsibility – if an abandoned car on a public roads, is unregistered or is too damaged for the owner to be determined council must dispose of the vehicle. Police are  only required to tow abandoned vehicles if they posed a road hazard to motorists. 

“If the car is a traffic hazard police will arrange for it to be moved off the road otherwise it is the responsibly of the owner, insurance company or local council,” Ms O’Grady said.

Police will typically place police tape on vehicles they are aware of and contact council, who has a responsibility to remove abandoned or unregistered vehicles located on council-controlled roads or lands. 

The timeframe for removal is generally 24 hours, although if the vehicle is causing a serious hazard it can be removed immediately.

Council has impounded 195 cars since August 2014, averaged out that is nearly one car every four days. 

Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said owners who abandoned their vehicles were burdening council and ratepayers with unnecessary costs.

“(In most cases) the owners have walked away, sometimes the cars can be sold at auction but the cost (of disposal) is not (fully) recouped,” Cr Hudson said. “Dumping cars has a negative effect on the local community.”  Council confirmed car management, after recouped costs were removed, cost up to $15,000 a year. 

NMVTRC statistics show 387 vehicles were stolen in the 12 months to March this year, of that 73 have never been recovered.